This invention relates generally to the pumping of fuel for a gas turbine into a preheating chamber, heating the fuel and supplying it to a series of circumferentially-located combustion chambers where further heating of the fuel occurs, resulting in spontaneous ignition of the fuel.
Due to the increasing price of fuel, a turbine which could burn alcohol as well as other fuels including fuels containing water, would be highly desirable. The burning of even wet fuels would make possible the safe storage and transportation of fuels since the presence of water in a fuel retards explosion and fire. Generally the fuel for gas turbines is ignitied by a device such as a spark plug.
The Meyer Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,074, discloses the general concept of preheating fuel to avoid the necessity of igniting the fuel. That patent, however, fails to disclose an apparatus for preheating the fuel and supplying it to a turbine as is taught herein. The Carso Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,883 discloses a cluster of combustion chambers as does also the Hussey Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,367. The Cornell Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,775 teaches the use of a circumferential fuel supply and distribution system.
There is a need, however, for a device which could utilize any fuel, even a wet fuel, which will ignite only at a high temperature.
It is, therefore, desirable to design a turbine with a preheating system for the spontaneous ignition of the turbine fuel and which is able to handle any fuel and that is reliable and easily repaired and inexpensive to manufacture and service. Also, it is desirable to develop a unique turbine system which includes a power source for auxiliary units separate from the main power drive.